Press



w. 'l-l. co'r'roN rnnss FiledDec. 1, 1922 il Sheets-Sheet 1 March 31. 1925.

March 31. 1925.

W. H. COTTON YRESS Filedbec 1, 1922 4 Sheds-Sheet 3 March 31. 1925.

. W. H. COTTON Filed Dec. l, 1922 4 Sheds-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

UNITED STATES WALTER H. COTTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PRESS.

Application filed December 1, 1922. `Serial No., 604,259.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I. TWALTER H. COTTON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of lllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Presses, of which the following -is a specification, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

` The invention relates to machines for pressing material into various shapes and particularly 'to mechanical presses for the forming of fire clays.

The Objects of the invention are tO provide a press adapted to automatically form brick of very large size which require a great quantity of clay at each charge: it being important in a press o f this type that an abundance of space be provided for the charging mechanism the conveyance of clay to the machine, etc., a further object is Vto provide a press in which the principal working parts may be protected from floating dust and grit that is very prevalent upon the delivery floors of press rooms.

In pressing brick of great thickness, using clay low in moisture it is a difficult task to form the brick with hard centersowing to the friction due to the low viscosity of the clay and also to the friction of the clay on the side walls of the mold. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide mechanism for overcoming this difficulty without the use of extreme moisture in the clay which results in the loss of considerable time in the drying rooms.

Another object of the invention is to provide means visual to the operator, for indieating the depth of mold during the charg ing operation and also the operation of the mold bottom during the entire cycle of the press.

further object is to provide improved means for regulating the depth of the mold which governs the quantity of clay at each charge.

A further object is to provide mechanism for lowering the charge to the eXtreme depth of mold before the pressing mechanism begins to function, and furthermore it is an Object of this invention to provide improved means for operating the charger.

. 'bearings 27,

numeral 30 consists of a The invention is illustrated'in the accompanying drawings in which Fig.,1 is a: front elevation;`

Fig. 2'is a side elevation;

v F ig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the device; y 1 i Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the mold boX on line 4.-4 of Fig. 2; v

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the press- 'ing frame; v Y

Fig. 6 is a detail of the charger operating mechanism;

Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional elevations Of modilied plungers.

ln the drawings numerals 10 and 11 designate the side vframes spaced apart by transverse members 12 and 13 at the bottom and plate 141 at the eXtreme top.

A driving shaft 15 lis journaled in bearings as 16 on rear of frames lOand 11 and an Outboard bearing 17 supported on' a small base 18 projecting laterally from and bolted to frame 11. On driving shaft 15 adjacent bearing 17 is` mounted a friction clutch driving pulley 19 adapted to be thrown in or out of frictional engagementV with driving shaft 15 by the manual rotation of hand wheel 20 mounted on pedestal 21 on the delivery floor 22.

A crank shaft 23 journaled in bearings 24 on frames l0 and 1 1 is rotated fromv driving shaft 15 by means of gear 25 keyed thereto and meshing with pinion 25a secured to intermediate shaft 26 Operative in on frames 10 and 11. Intermediate shaft 26 is rotated through gear 28,

secured thereto and meshing with a pinion 29 keyed to the driving shaft.

A mold box generally designated by pair of beams 3l and 32, the ends` of which fit into recesses 33 and 3d of frames 10 and 11. End blocks and 3G fitting into and slidable in recesses 37 and 38 in beams 31 and 32, and suitable liners as side liners 39 and 40 fitting' into recesses 37 and 88, and end liners 41 and 412 fitting into recesses 48 and 44 in the end blocks 35 and 36 are all rigidly secured in assembled relation by bolts 15 passing through the beams and set screws 15 threaded into the frames and abutting the end blocks. A plurality of cap screws 4G threaded into the ends of beams 31 and 32 serve to resist the thrust of set screws 45'DL and further secure the beams against longi- ,tudinal movement in recesses 33 and 34.

nected together by beams 51 and 52 at the lcally in guides top and bottom. The side bars 49 and 5.0 are each provided with a slot 53 for accommodating' a projection 54 on the end blocks 35 andk 36 and also for the abutting` set screw a;

The side bars 49 and 50 operate vertion the frame which is provided with` take up gibs 56 above the mold box and' gibs 57 below the mold boX.

Upper and lower crossheads 58 and 5.9 transversely disposed and located between the mold boX 30 and beam 52 are movable vertically, being guided in ways 60 located between the side bars 49 and 50 and gibs 57. A toggle 61 is pivotally connected to the crossheads by pins 62 and 63 secured in position by caps 64 and 65 on the upper and lower crossheads respectively. A cent-ral toggle shaft 66 pivotally secures the two legs ofthe toggle together.

As the toggle has to resist very heavy compressive pressures, all the joints are provided with large secondary bearings as indicated by numeral 67 at the crossheads and- 68 at the central joint.

A r-od 69 connects the central toggle shaft 66 with the crank pin 70 of crankshaft 23.

The upper and lower plungers as 71 and 72 are made to conform to the horizontal contour of the mold and commonly consist of die plates 73 and 74 which closely lit the mold, and'connecting blocks 75 and 7 6.

The upper plunger 71 is rigidly secured to the upper beam 51 in alignment with the mold while the lower plunger '72 is rigidly secured to the upper crosshead 58. The lower plungerI must bevof such length as to entend entirely through the mold and when the upper crosshead engages a stop 7 30 on its downward movement the mold is of maximum depth. At this position the die plate 74 is just within-the lower opening of the mold.

rChe frame is raised at determined intervals through the medium of a cam 750 secured to crank shaft 23 acting on a double rocking lever 760 secured to a shaft 77 pivotedin bearings 78 located in frames 10 and 11. A pair of links 79 form an operative connection between the frame 48 and the forward ends of lever 760 and a roller 80k 83 at 87 meshwith gears 88 secured to shaft` 89 which is rotatable in bearings 90 and 91 fastened to the charger apron 92.

Shaft 89 is rotated by chain and sprocket connection to a counter-shaft 94 provided with bearings 95 fixed to charger apron support 93, a pinion 96 on the latter shaft meshes with a gear segmentv 96a secured to a rocker arm 97 pivoted to frames 10 and 11 at 98. Arm 97 is given an oscillatory movement bymeans of a cam 99 secured to gear 25, engaging a roller 100 connected on arm 97 by pin 101. Chargers of the type shown for conveying clay tothe molds of brick presses are old butthey are usually operated by connecting' rods directly connected'to rocker arms and as the operating forces are not all in line with the movement of the charger, uneven wear results.

Clays have different characteristics. Some require more pressure than others, overpressing may cause checking or cracking, barometric changes alter the degree of moisture, ununiform processing of the clay,

etc., all make it necessary to provide means manually controlled for altering the quantity of cl'iarge, and to this end the following mechanism is provided:

Al sleeve 102 provided with integral arms 103 and 104, is pivoted on a sha-ft 105, secured in bearings: 105a to frames 10 and 11; a. rod 106 pivoted to arm 103 at 106a carriesa roller 107 atits lower end and depends from arm 103 directly above the lever 760, av stop 108 limits the downward movement of bar 106.

Rod106 is connected by a link 109 to a lever 110 pivoted at 111 in frame 10 and rotatively secured to a worm gear segment 112, which is engaged by a worm'113 secured to a shaft 114 provided with suitable bearings on the side of frame 10. A transverse shaft 115` secured in bearings` 116 bolted to frames 10 and 11 is geared to shaft It is important that the operator should know at any time the quantity of clay being fed at each charge.

In pressing brick a great deal depends on the judgment of the operator as to the quality of the brick as it pressed, and as before stated, changes in the processing of the clays before charging necessitate changes in the quantity of charge. Sometimes slight changes in the quantity of moisture in the clay require a change in the depth of mold while charging, therefore any instrument that will aid the judgment of the operator is of importance and to this end the following mechanism is provided for showing the location of the lower plunger or mold bottom at any period during the cycle of the press.

A cam comprising an inclined plane 120, secured to the upper crosshead 58, to which the lower plunger is attached, is engaged by a lever 121 pivoted in frame 11 and cross connected by a shaft 122 to a lever 123. A spring 124 serves to hold lever 121 against the plane 120 and a rod 125 serves to transmit motion to a pointer 126 pivoted to the side frame 11 of the press. A scale so arranged with relation to the pointer as to designate the depth of the plunger in the mold is shown at 127.

The operation of the press is as follows:

Assuming the lower plunger has moved flush with the top of the mold ejecting a brick therefrom, the charger will move for.- ward under the influence of cam 99, pushing the brick off the plunger onto the delivery apron 128. Then the front of charger 83 has passed over the mold the plunger 72 begins to recede under the influence of the leXing toggle 61 and continues toV recede until intercepted by the engagement of caps Geion the upper crosshead with arms 103 and 104C which have before been moved up under the influence of lever 760. Slightly after the recession of the lower plunger 72, the charger 83 will complete its return movement the mold having been filled with clay from the charger cavity 85 during the recession of the lower plunger.

The frame 18 which has been held. by cam 750 in its extreme upward position during the functioning of the charger drops by gravity, allowing arms 103 and 104 to recede and allowing the upper crosshead to drop by gravity until intercepted by a permanent stop 730. The charge now is drawn to. maximum depth. The upper plunger 71 is now in the mold compressing the clay by the gravity of the parts to whichA it is rigidly secured; the toggles are straightening under the influence of the crank shaft 23 and the entire pressing mechanism is moved upward under the influence of cam 750 while the plungers are moving towards each other until the straightening of the toggle is completed.

lli/*hen the upper plunger reaches a point near the top of the mold, the pressure on the brick is vreleased by a slight flex of the toggle 61, and the raising of the pressing mechanism continuing, ejects the brick from the mold and the cycle is completed.

lt will be further noted that the lower Vplunger is held Hush with thetop ofthe mold for a period during the initial flex of the toggle and the initial movement of the charger by a spring 129 acting between the beams 52 and lower crosshead 59. -An abutment 130 on the mold box engaging the upper crosshead 58 prevents the lower plunger from being urged beyond the mouth of the mold.

F ig. 7 shows a plunger that may be used to advantage on clays of low viscosity. The plunger consists of an outer shell 131 and an inner shell 132 urged outwardly by a spring 33. In the operation of this plunger the inner shell first engages the clay, compress-l ing the center until the resistance of the spring is overcome to bring the pressing surfaces of the two shells ilush.

A reversal of construction as shown in Fig. 8 will first engage the clay near the walls of the mold.

1 claim as my invention:

1. The combination in a press having a mold, a movable bottom in the mold and means for indicating the depth of the mold at any interval during the cycle of the press.

2. The combination in a press having a mold or pocket within which `material is pressed, of la movable bottom in the mold and means bottom for indicating the location' of the bottom during the interval of charging.

3. In a press, a mold or pocket within which material is adapted to be pressed, means for charging the mold, and means for automatically 'indicating any change in the density of the pressed material.

4l. The combination in a press having a mold, of mechanism for pressing material in said mold and means operable by said mechanism for indicating any change in the density of the material pressed.

Thel combination in a press having a mold, of mechanism for pressing material in said mold means moving in unison with the bottom ofthe mold for indicating the location of said bottom at any period during the cycle of said pressing mechanism.

6. In a press, a pressing mechanism comprising a rectangular frame consisting of side bars and cross connecting beams at the top and bottom ends, a mold disposed be tween the beams, a plunger rigidly secured to the upper beam in alignment with the mold, upper and llower crossheads slidable longitudinally ofthe kside bars, a toggle pivotally secured to and between the crossheads, a lowerv plunger rigidly secured to the movable simultaneously with said upper crosshead and forming a bottom for said mold, means for charging the mold, mean-s for flexing and straightening the toggle and means for raising and lowering the frame.

7. In a press, a. mold, mechanism including an upper pressing head and a toggle floating relatively to said head for pressing material in the mold, a mold bottom secured to the floating toggle, means for elevating the lmold bottom liush with the top of the mold, and means for holding the bottom in this position while the toggle is being flexed.

8. The combination in. a press having a mold', mechanism comprising a floating toggle for pressing material in the mold, a mold bottom secured to the Heating toggle, means for elevating the mold bottom Hush with the top of the mold and a spring located below the toggle for holding the bottom in this position while the pressed material is shifted.

9. The combination in a press, mechanism comprising a rectangular frame consisting of side bars and cross connecting beams at the top and bottom ends, a mold disposed between the beams, an upper plunger rigidly secured to the upper beam in alignment with the mold, upper and lower crossheads slidable longitudinally of the side bars, a toggle pivotally secured to and between the crossheads, a lower plunger rigidly secured to the upper crosshead and forming a bottom for said mold, means for raising and lowering the frame and means for receding the lower plunger while the frame is at maximum elevation.

10. The combination in a press, mechanism comprising a rectangular frame consisting of side bars and cross connecting beams at the top and bottom ends, a mold disposed between the beams, an upper plunger rigidly secured to the upper beam in alignment with the mold, upper and lower crossheads slidable longitudinally of the side bars, a toggle pivotally secured to and between the crossheads, a lower pliuiger rigidly secured to the upper crosshead and forming a bottom for said mold, means Jfor raising and lowering the frame and means for receding the lower plunger while' the frame is at maximum elevation, and means for intercepting the recession when a predetermined depth of mold has been reached.

11. The combination in a press, mechanism comprising a rectangular frame consisting of side bars and cross connecting beams at the top and bottom ends, a mold disposed between the beams, an upper plunger rigidly secured to the upper beam in alignment with the mold, upper and lower` crossheads slidable longitudinally of the side bars, a toggle pivotally secured to and between the crossheads, a lower plunger rigidly secured to the y the frame and vation, means l the mol'd, means upper crosshead and forming a bottom'iior `said mold, means for raising and lowering means for receding the lower plunger while the trame is at maximum elefor intercepting the recession when a predetermined depth ot mold has been reached, and means for releasing saidintercepting means upon the lowering of the trame.

12. The combination 'in a press, mechanism comprising a rectangularl frame consisting cfr side bars and cross connecting beams at the top and bottom ends, la mold disposed between the beams, an upper plunger rigidly secured to the-upper beam in alignment with the mold, upper and lower crossheads slidable longitudinally of the side barsa toggle pivotally secured to and between the crossheads, a lower plunger rigidly secured to the upper crossliead and forming a bottom for said mold, means for raising and lowering the frame and means for receding the lower plunger while the frame is at maximum elevation, means ior intercepting the recession when a predetermined depth orC mold has been reached, means for releasing said intercepting means upon the lowering of the trame, and means for stopping the recession at maximum depth of mold.

13. The combination in a press having a mold, a plunger forming the bottom of the mold, means for adjusting the depth of the mold, means for charging the mold level with its top, an upper plunger adapted to enter the mold and means for lowering the charge to the maximum depth ol'f the mold before the upper plunger enters.

14. The combination in a press having a mold, mechanism 'for pressing material in for adjusting the depth oi' mold, means for charging the mold kand means for lowering the charge to the maximum depth of mold before the beginning of the pressing operation.

15. ln a press the combination with a mold, a lower plunger movable vertically therethrough and an upper plunger adapted to co-act with said lower plunger of an adjustable member adapted to stop the downward movement of the lower plunger vwhile the upper plunger is inactive and automatic means 'for removing said stopping member when the upper plunger becomes active.

16. 1n a brick press provided with a mold, means for charging said mold, an upper and a lower plunger associated with said mold, means for operating said plungers, said means comprising a toggle pivotally connected to said lower plunger means including a linlr for operating said toggle and means independent of said link for elevating said upper plunger and for holding said upper plunger stationary during the charging operation.

17. The combination in a press having a mold, an upper and lower plunger adapted to co-act with the mold, means for charging the mold when the upper plunger is non-active and means for lowering both plungers immediately after charging.

18. The combination in a press having a mold, an upper and lower plunger adapted to co-act in the mold, means for charging the mold when the upper plunger is nonactive, means for lowering both plungers immediately after charging and means for arresting the movement of the lower plunger when the mold is of maximum depth.

19. In a press the combination with a mold having a mold bottom movable vertically therethrough of an adjustable member adapted to stop the downward movement of the bottom, charging means, pressing mechanism, and means for removing the stopping member before the pressing mechanism begins to function.

20. In a press3 the combination with a mold having a plunger movable vertically therethrough of an adjustable member adapted to arrest the movement ot' the plunger on its downward movement in the mold and means for mechanically releasing the adjusting member after certain elements have functioned.

21. The combination in a press having a vertical rectangular trame comprising vertical side bars, and beams connecting the side bars at both ends of an upper and lower crosshead slidable longitudinally of the side bars a toggle disposed between the crossheads and pivoted thereto and a spring located between the lower crosshead and the adjacent frame beam.

22. The combination in a press having a frame comprising side bars and beams rigidly connecting the side bars at both ends, of a pair of crossheads slidable longitudinally oi the side bars and a toggle disposed between the crossheads and pivote-d thereto.

23. The combination in a press having a rectangular frame comprising side bars and beams rigidlv connecting the side bars at both ends of a pair of crossheads slidable longitudinally oi" the side bars, a toggle disposed between the crossheads and pivoted thereto.y means tor 'flexing the toggles and means for holding either of the crossheads in any desired position with relation to the. trame.

24. The combination in a press having a rectangular frame comprising side bars and beams rigidly connecting the side bars at both ends of a toggle slidably connected to the side bars and between the beams, means for flexing and straightening the toggle and means for moving the toggle to any desired position between the frame beamse 25. In a press for pressing material into ing a mold, vupper and lower plungers operative in the mold, means for moving the plungers toward each other to predetermined distance apart and means incorporated in the plungers for pressing material in the mold successively at various` points and iinally to form a brick of uniform thickness. l

28. The combination in a brick press having a mold, upper and lower plungers operative in the mold. means for moving the plungers toward each other to a. predetermined distance, a part of the pressing tace of one said plungers having yielding engagement with material being pressed in the mold.

29. In a brick pressa plunger adapted `for pressing material'in a mold comprising `in combination a rigid pressing `face and a yielding pressing face and means for yieldingly holding said yielding pressing face in advance of said rigid pressing face during the initial pressing of said material.

30. In a brick press, a plunger adapted to press material in a mold, comprising in combination, a rigid pressing face and a yielding pressing face the yield of the latter ceasing when the entire pressing face is flush.

31. In a brick press, a plunger adapted to press material in a mold, comprising in combination a rigid element having a pressing tace and a spring pressed element having a pressing face normally beyond the. rigid face and adapted to recede flush with the rigid face before the tinal pressure on the material being pressed has been reached.

32. In a brick `ress provided with a mold, means for charging said moldD a palr of plungers associated with said mold, means for operating said plungers, said means comprising a toggle for operating one of said plungersn means including a crank operated link for operating said toggle and means independent ot' said link for elevating said upper plunger and for holding the same elevated during the charging operation.

33. In a press having a mold, an upper and a lower plunger fory pressing material in said mold, means including a toggle for operating said lower plunger. means for elevating said lov'ver'plunger and means for liolding `said upper plunger stationary, and for vholding saiid lower plunger in maximum elevated position during the initial flexing of said toggle.

34. In a press having a mold, an upper and a lower plunger for pressing material in said mold, means including a toggle for operating said lower plunger, means for elevating said .lower plunger and means en said POS-1- said gaging said toggle for maintaining lower plunger in maximum elevated tion during tlie initial flexing of toggle.

35. Tlie combination in a press having a mold, a plunger forming tliebotton of tlie mold, means for adjusting tlie dept-li of the mold, means for charging the mold level wit-li its top, an upper plunger adapted to enter the niold and means for lowering tlie Charge before tliel upper plunger enters said mold. 4 n

3G. ln a briolr press, a mold, a plunger adapted to press material in said mold, said plunger comprising a rigid 'aoe `and a relatively movable face, and means for 'Causing said movable face to engage said material in advance of the rigid lace during the initial pressing oi' the material in said mold.

lALTER H. COTTON. 

